Structure of the museum

Since 1 January 2009 the Museum für Naturkunde is a public-law foundation named "Museum für Naturkunde – Leibniz-Institut für Evolutions- und Biodiversitätsforschung an der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin” (Museum für Naturkunde – Leibniz Institute for Research on Evolution and Biodiversity at the Humboldt University Berlin). The museum is member of the Leibniz Association. It is lead by a full-time general director and is divided into three departments.:

• the Department of Collections
• the Department of Research
• the Department of Exhibitions and Public Education

and a Central Administration (Generaldirektion).

The  general director and the heads of departments form the board of directors which is concerned with the museum's fundamental issues. A scientific manager supports the general director.

The Department of Exhibitions and Public Education is in charge not only of the public exhibitions but also of the museum's education program. It has own staff but the employees of the other departments are also contributing to its public relations and versatile educational activities.

The Department of Collections looks after the huge and extremely valuable mineralogical, palaeontological and zoological collections. It encompasses all the staff responsible for the maintenance of the collections, including most of the museum's scientists, i.e. the curators.

The Department of Research comprehends the museum's professors and the research laboratories with their staff. The department also supports the curators in their research.

The Central Administration spans the central services of the museum. These are:

• the service area Media and Communication with three services:
  • Public Relations and Fundraising
  • IT
  • Graphics and Photography
    
    
• the Administration with three divisions:
  • Personnel and Budget
  • Security, Procurement and Contracts
  • Civil Works and Facilities

An organisational chart of the Museum für Naturkunde can be seen here.